BMH welcomes Atlas Maior (Austin, TX)

We are happy to welcome Atlas Maior to the Brooklyn Maqam Hang as one stop of their east coast tour. Austin, Texas based band "Atlas Maior" makes original music informed by Jazz, Arab, Turkish and Latin American musical traditions.

Atlas Maior creates original music that combines elements of Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Indian music traditions. Band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone, flutes), Josh Peters (oud), Charlie Lockwood (oud), and Ted Camat (drums, percussion) create a unique sound that balances intimate moments of sincerity with powerful melodies and incendiary rhythmic passages. Atlas Maior writes original melodies exploring maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions found in American jazz. The group composes with a wide variety of rhythms and traditional percussion instruments including the Indian tablas, Middle Eastern dumbek, Peruvian cajón, and Brazilian pandeiro.

Atlas Maior's upcoming album Riptide will be the group's 5th studio release, following Keyif (2015), Palindrome (2014), Four Shades (2012), Atlas Maior EP (2011), all receiving positive reviews and media placement from Public Radio International, KUTX, Austin’s National Public Radio affiliate network, All About Jazz, World Music Central, UTNE Reader, Midwest Record and more. Atlas Maior has toured internationally in France, Spain, and Turkey, and has received hometown recognition with the proclamation of “Atlas Maior Day” on March 27, 2014 by Austin’s City Council. On January 31st, Atlas Maior was named Creative Ambassadors to the City of Austin for 2019 by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and the ATX Music Division.

"Combining elements of jazz, Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies, and afro-Brazilian beats Atlas Maior is a unique breath of fresh air with their creative instrumentation." - KUTX

"Keyif demonstrates the group's maturing sonic identity by featuring original material, while also exploring their multidimensional musical influences." - All About Jazz